Carol Aiken is very, very particular about her crab cakes and wants no filler, no seasonings and little binder holding the shellfish together.
"With Eastern Shore relatives, my crab cake preference is crab meat, an egg, butter for frying and a cast iron pan," she wrote in a recent email.
This summer, I've embarked on the Great Delaware Crab Cake Search and have asked readers to share their favorite places in the state to get crab cakes.
Emails and voicemails have been pouring in ever since with hundreds of suggestions. I've been checking out the top recommendations and have been sharing results along the way.
So far, my favorite spot is Woody's Dewey Beach Bar & Grill. The crab cakes served at Racing Legends restaurant at Delaware Park come in a close second. This hunt will be going on all summer. Stay tuned for more updates.
When sifting through responses, the one thing that did surprise me was several readers sent us crab cake recipes.
Aiken was one of several readers who said: "I don't order crab cakes in restaurants anymore – ahhhh, the disappointment."
However, while dining out at Wilmington's Tonic Bar and Grille, she caved and tried its cakes. Aiken said she thought she was going "to let them down easy," but was surprised to find the crab cakes "meaty, tasty, and filling. I'm sold. Just don't tell my relatives."
While Aiken didn't send a recipe for her family's crab cakes, another reader, Reed Paynter, shared one that he said was "obtained from a little Baltimore tavern more than 50 years." (Recipe is below.)
Paynter told us: "I grew up in Balamer Merlin (people from Baltimore don't use hard consonants and tend to slur their words), and I love crab cakes. Now, I live in Wilmington and am also doing a search on my own for the best crab cake here."
He says he likes the Mendenhall Inn, a Pennsylvania restaurant in Concordville, Delaware County, off Route 52, just over the state line. (Sorry, but we're only looking at Delaware restaurants for our search.)
But back to Paynter's own crab cakes. He says the best cakes have "only jumbo lump meat, and minimal binder are 'musts.' "
He added: "I prefer my crab cakes cooked the traditional way, sauteed or pan-fried."
Reader Marsha Mills didn't even bother to suggest an area restaurant for the best crab cake. She claims "the best crab cake" can be made from an "old Eastern Shore family recipe" that she sent us.
Mills' recipe it's pretty straight forward. It has a 1 pound of fresh-picked crab meat, one egg, a pinch of dry mustard, "a shake of Worcestershire sauce."
However, the one big secret, and some might even say unusual component, is the addition of 2 1/2 hot dog rolls, left out overnight. Mills crumbles the stale, leftover buns and then mixes the filler in with the other crab cake ingredients. (See recipe below.)
Hot dog! Give this one a try.
If you think you have an original, and possibly award-winning crab cake recipe, then consider entering the 27th Crab Cake Cook-Off taking place Oct. 7 at the University of Delaware's Coast Day celebration at its Hugh R. Sharp campus in Lewes.
The family-friendly event showcases how UD scientists serve coastal communities.
Eight finalists will be chosen from submitted recipes that are based around the preparation of two pounds of jumbo lump blue crab meat.
Finalists will prepare their dishes before a panel of judges. Crab cakes will be based on taste, balance of meat, texture and originality. Cash prizes range from $100 to $250.
The blue crab meat is provided for the final competition, but all other ingredients and cooking appliances must be provided by competitors.
Recipe submission and the registration deadline is Aug. 10. Go to www.decoastday.org for more information.
Here are some crab cake recipes:
Reed Paynter's Crab Cakes
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1 1/2 tablespoons cracker crumbs
Pinch of parsley
1 egg
2 tablespoons regular mayonnaise (not low fat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Dash pepper
Dash Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Whisk the cracker crumbs, mayonnaise, egg and other seasonings together. Combine with crab meat and toss gently to mix. Form into four thick cakes and refrigerate for 2 hours or more to set.
To cook, saute in butter on low heat, about 10-15 minutes per side until browned. Serve immediately.
Marsha Mills' Old Eastern Shore crab cakes
1 pound plus more fresh-picked crab meat
2 1/2 hot dog rolls, left out overnight
1 small egg
Pinch of dry mustard
A shake of Worcestershire sauce
Check the crab meat for shells. Crumble the hot dog rolls. Mix all ingredients together with your hands. Form 4 cakes and saute them in butter.
Crab cakes from the kitchen of Pearl Calhoun
A slightly adapted recipe from the "Delmar's Bicentennial Cookbook: Recipes Old & New from the Delmar Historical Society."
1 pound crab meat
1 egg
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped (the original recipe calls for dried parsley flakes)
1 tablespoons lemon juice
10 crackers, crumbled
Combine all ingredients, mix well, make into cakes and fry in butter and or vegetable oil until brown on both sides. (The original recipe calls for frying in shortening.)
MORE ON CRAB CAKES
Woody's in Dewey tops in Delaware Crab Cake Search
The hunt is on for Delaware's best crab cakes
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/food/2018/07/10/everyone-says-their-crab-cake-recipe-best/768097002/